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Someday within the final 5 years, Samsung reached peak soundbar. After years of fabric updates to its flagship surround-sound HW-Q990, a multi-channel, multi-speaker whiz of a Dolby Atmos system, Samsung achieved what it appeared to attain. As soon as you place 22 audio system into an 11.1.4-channel masterclass of residence theater effectivity, it turns into laborious to enhance upon materially. Audio physics solely go to date, and processing solely will get so a lot better.
The final a number of fashions of the Q990 have seen solely minor updates. We have gotten a barely smaller and extra environment friendly subwoofer, new software program options, and—within the case of our present favourite, the Q990D—an improve to its HDMI ports for HDMI 2.1 assist. These modifications are good, and the HDMI change is particularly notable when you’re connecting a few sport consoles to the bar instantly, however in any other case they don’t seem to be precisely groundbreaking, they usually actually do not have an effect on the sound a lot.
For years, A/V editor Parker Corridor and I’ve advisable high-end soundbar consumers simply snag the prior yr’s Q990 sequence for a couple of thousand bucks off. In search of the most effective Dolby Atmos soundbar for the cash? Why purchase new if the expertise is so comparable?
This wouldn’t seem to be a lot of a revelation—older fashions of something are sometimes solely barely worse than newer ones, they usually’re usually cheaper—apart from the true worth discrepancy between this yr and final yr’s Q990.
Herein lies the rub: Samsung’s 2025 mannequin HW-Q990F retails for round $1,800 (typically dropping to $1,700), whereas on the time of writing, the Q990D sells for almost half that worth, at round $998. We discovered the Q990F remarkably comparable in efficiency to the Q990D (and even earlier Q990 fashions). Whereas the brand new Q990H has but to reach, it seems to supply largely minor software program updates. I suppose there’s an opportunity it brings a notable leap in efficiency, however contemplate these of us who’ve heard the final a number of fashions doubtful.
That is a giant purpose why 2023’s Q990C was our choose for the Greatest Dolby Atmos soundbar for 2 generations, and why I’m assured the Q990D could have comparable endurance. At underneath a grand for 11.1.4 channels between the bar, subwoofer, and wi-fi surrounds, you received’t discover a extra fluid, musical, and downright cinematic system for the cash. For most folk, it simply doesn’t make monetary sense to seize the newer fashions (sorry, Samsung).
The Key to Nice Atmos? Numerous Audio system
When Samsung revamped its 9.1.4-channel HW-Q950T to the curiously titled HW-Q950A (the prototype that might change into the Q990 sequence), it in some way discovered a approach so as to add much more audio system. The key was to load up on side-firing drivers, not simply in the principle soundbar, but additionally within the wi-fi surrounds for a complete of 4 side-firing drivers and 4 upfiring drivers to bounce sound throughout the room. On the time, it appeared like overkill—the audio equal of stuffed-crust pizza. However damned if it did not work, offering a severe improve to the spherical immersion from Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. Because the debut of the Q990 sequence, although, the system’s normal {hardware} has remained largely unchanged.
{Photograph}: Ryan Waniata
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